The Town that Food Saved: How One Community Found Vitality in Local Food By Ben Hewitt Rodale Press, 2010, 256 pages

Hardwick, Vermont was down on its luck. Once known as the “Building Granite Center of the World,” the hamlet of 3,000 people in Northern Vermont had been battered by the decline of the quarry industry. Per capita income in the area is less than $15,000. In 2005, a fire devastated one of the finest buildings on Main Street, the historic Bemis Block, leaving a burned-out shell. Then a kind of renaissance occurred.…» Read more

Make It Yourself, And If That Doesn’t Work, Check Out These Presents

‘Tis the season to be shopping. And even amidst the consumption fever, there are plenty of ways to let principles of sustainability and ethical consumption guide you. Here’s some ideas for to buying “green” gifts on a budget for everyone on your…» Read more

Could we repair America’s broken criminal justice system and quit our addiction to industrial farming at the same time? Catherine Sneed thinks so. Photo by Ethan LoftonWhen the Garden Project had programs specifically for ex-offenders less than 25 percent of the participants…» Read more